1. Field of the Invention
The application relates to a method and a related communication device used in a wireless communication system and related communication device, and more particularly, to a method and a related communication device of sending a network configuration in a wireless communication system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Machine-type communication (MTC) is one type of data communication including one or more entities not requiring human interactions. That is, the MTC refers to the concept of communication based on a network such as the existing GERAN, UMTS, long-term evolution (LTE), or the like used by a machine device instead of a mobile station (MS) used by a user. The machine device used in the MTC can be called an MTC device. There are various MTC devices such as a vending machine, a machine of measuring a water level at a dam, etc. That is, the MTC is widely applicable in various fields. The MTC device has features different from that of a typical MS. Therefore, a service optimized to the MTC may differ from a service optimized to human-to-human communication. In comparison with a current mobile network communication service, the MTC can be characterized as a different market scenario, data communication, less costs and efforts, a potentially great number of MSs for communication, wide service areas, low traffic per MS, etc.
Meanwhile, the number of MTC devices is expected to be much greater than the number of legacy devices, and a probability of performing operations of the plurality of MTC devices simultaneously is high due to a feature of atypical machine-to-machine (M2M) service. M2M communication (also referred to as “machine-type communications” or “MTC”) may be used in a variety of areas. In the area of security, M2M communication may be used in surveillance systems, in backup of telephone landlines, in the control of physical accesses (e.g. to buildings), and in car/driver security. In the area of tracking and tracing, M2M communication may be used for fleet management, order management, Pay As You Drive (PAYD) applications, asset tracking, navigation, traffic information applications, road tolling, traffic optimization, and steering. In the area of payment systems, M2M communication may be used in point of sales, vending machines, customer loyalty applications, and gaming machines. In healthcare, M2M communication may be used for remotely monitoring vital signs, supporting the elderly or handicapped, in web access telemedicine points, and in remote diagnostics. In the area of remote maintenance/control, M2M communication may be used in programmable logic controllers (PLCs), sensors, lighting, pumps, valves, elevator control, vending machine control, and vehicle diagnostics. In the area of metering, M2M communication may be used in applications related to power, gas, water, heating, grid control, and industrial metering. Additionally, M2M communication based on machine type communication (MTC) technology may be used in areas such as customer service.
Depending on its implementation, M2M communication may be different from some current communication models. For example, M2M communication may involve new or different market scenarios. M2M communications may also differ from some current technologies in that M2M communication may involve a large number of wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs), and/or may involve very little traffic per WTRU. Additionally, relative to some current technologies, M2M communication may involve lower costs and less effort to deploy. M2M communications may take advantage of deployed wireless networks based on Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) technologies such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Long Term Evolution Advanced (LTE-Advanced), and/or other technologies such as WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) or those developed by the Institute for Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and 3GPP2. M2M communications may use networks based on these technologies to deliver business solutions in a cost-effective manner. In a circumstance involving ubiquitous deployment of wireless networks, the availability of the wireless networks may facilitate and/or encourage the deployment and use of M2M WTRUs. Additionally, further enhancements to these technologies may provide additional opportunities for the deployment of M2M-based solutions.
The 3GPP network may provide co-ordination of paging for circuit-switched and packet-switched services. Paging co-ordination means that the network sends paging messages for circuit-switched services on the same channel as used for packet-switched services, i.e. on the GPRS paging channel or on the GPRS traffic channel, and a MS (Mobile Station) needs only to monitor that channel. Three network operation modes are defined: Network operation mode I; Network operation mode II; Network operation mode III.
Network operation mode I: the network sends a CS paging message for a GPRS-attached MS, either on the same channel as the GPRS paging channel (i.e. the packet paging channel or the CCCH paging channel), or on a GPRS traffic channel. This means that the MS needs only to monitor one paging channel, and that it receives CS paging messages on the packet data channel when it has been assigned a packet data channel.
Network operation mode II: the network sends a CS paging message for a GPRS-attached MS on the CCCH paging channel, and this channel is also used for GPRS paging. This means that the MS needs only to monitor the CCCH paging channel, but that e.g. CS paging continues on this paging channel even if the MS has been assigned a packet data channel, unless BSS paging co-ordination as described in subclause 8.1.6 of 3GPP is active.
Network operation mode III: the network sends a CS paging message for a GPRS-attached MS on the CCCH paging channel, and sends a GPRS paging message on either the packet paging channel (if allocated in the cell) or on the CCCH paging channel. This means that an MS that wants to receive pages for both circuit-switched and packet-switched services shall monitor both paging channels in the cell, if the packet-paging channel is allocated. The core network performs no paging co-ordination. See, however, also subclause 8.1.6 of 3GPP for description of paging co-ordination on BSS level.
The network operation mode (I,II,or III) shall be indicated as system information to MSs. Additional system information can indicate that MSs configured for MTC shall use NMO I, regardless of what NMO is indicated by system information for other MSs. From these indications, the MS determines which mode applies to it. For proper operation, the mode of operation should be the same in each cell of a routing area. Based on the system information provided by the network, the MS can then choose, according to its capabilities, whether it can attach to GPRS services, to non-GPRS services, or to both.
According to the agreed CR S2-104260, the network may send a parameter in the system information to treat the network as NMO 1 when received by a device configured as MTC device. After reading this parameter the MTC device will treat the network as NMO I and perform procedure accordingly. It is mentioned that this information element is broadcasted in the system information.
However a GERAN/UMTS MS reads system information only in idle mode not in connected mode. Such MSs when handovers to another RA in connected mode (e.g. CS handover or SRNS relocation in CELL DCH state etc.) can't get this network configuration parameter and will not know if the new RA supports this feature or not for the MTC devices. So the behavior of the MTC device is indeterminate.